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Beside their divergent views on the merits of tuition fees, there is a surprising amount that is similar across the political parties’ plans for education, with a particular focus on the FE and technical sectors, argues Ant Bagshaw.

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As the election draws near, Team Wonkhe is profiling the most interesting parliamentary constituencies with a big university presence. Nona Buckley-Irvine begins the series with Cambridge, an important Lib-Lab marginal.

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After rumours of its demise had been widely circulating, today BIS finds itself in an unexpectedly strong position, with a fresh ministerial team made up of high profile and influential MPs within this majority Conservative administration. Jonathan Simons looks at their priorities for HE, science, FE and skills.

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Jonathan Simons

Wonkhe Ltdhttp://wonkhe.com

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As a government reshuffle is now under way, Andy Westwood looks at the prospect for BIS and the universities and science brief – could they be moved around Whitehall? And what of the likely personalities in the frame to have an influence over the future of the sector in government?

With the election getting closer, but the ultimate result looking as uncertain as ever, Martin McQuillan predicts a confusing five years ahead for higher education. How will the sector respond to a rainbow coalition, perhaps without the mandate to pass primary legislation? And how will universities maintain the stability they crave on a fundamentally unstable landscape?

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Martin McQuillan

Wonkhe Ltdhttp://wonkhe.com

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As the dust settles on the Labour announcement that they would lower fees to £6,000 next year, Julian Gravatt looks in detail at the policy and asks ten questions on funding, regulation and policy that are raised by the promise of lower fees.

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Julian Gravatt

Wonkhe Ltdhttp://wonkhe.com

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After the heat and noise around Labour’s announced £6,000 fee policy, Martin McQuillan continues his monthly series on higher education politics and policy by turning his attention to the Conservative Party – their policies and what life might be like for universities if the Conservatives are returned to power in May.

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In the run up to Labour’s expected announcement that they will cut fees from £9,000 to £6,000, Graeme Wise looks at the method proposed to pay for it – the controversial cut in pensioner tax relief – and finds a progressive solution that has the added benefit of rolling back the marketisation of the sector and reducing some of the risks associated with the student loans system.

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Graeme Wise

Wonkhe Ltdhttp://wonkhe.com

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In the week that the Labour Party is expected to set out its plans for higher education after the General Election, Adam Wright explores the student vote, how it maps against wider social trends and looks at how and why student support for the Green party may impact Labour in May.

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Adam Wright

Wonkhe Ltdhttp://wonkhe.com

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British universities used to have their own parliamentary constituencies and famous names like Francis Bacon, Issac Newton, William Pitt, W E Gladstone, H G Wells and J B Priestley all stood for election for university seats. Heading in to a fresh General Election, Mike Ratcliffe looks at the history of the relationship between universities and political representation.

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Mike Ratcliffe

Wonkhe Ltdhttp://wonkhe.com

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Twenty fifteen is the year that we need to start paying attention to party policymaking at all levels. With the Green Party increasing their membership and now gaining ground in the opinion polls, not least amongst students, David Kernohan reviews the state of the party’s higher education policies – with some surprising results.

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David Kernohan

Wonkhe Ltdhttp://wonkhe.com

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Amidst the first serious skirmishes of the general election campaign, the OECD’s support – or not – of England’s higher education reforms, has become a source of significant political disagreement. Using OECD data and quoted positions, Labour and the Conservatives were trading blows about HE in Parliament last week. This has brought confusion and counter-claims about OECD’s actual line on the recent HE reforms. Andy Westwood cuts through the spin to find out what’s really going on.

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Andy Westwood

Wonkhe Ltdhttp://wonkhe.com

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Higher education is now at the centre of a tentative Conservative Party leadership election battle between George Osborne and Theresa May. With May ever-pandering to right-wing impulses in immigration policy, Osborne is presenting himself as a friend of universities and growth, and both are preparing the battle lines that will follow after the General Election. As universities enter the heart of this new and intense political struggle, Martin McQuillan looks at its implications for higher education.

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A new poll shows a surge in support for The Green Party amongst students They are now the second choice party for students, moving ahead of the Conservatives for the first time. Labour remain the first choice party, but support is slipping as the General Election approaches, a trend seen amongst the wider population. This is the first time since this polling began ten years ago that any party apart from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats or Labour have been in a top three position.

The Autumn Statement confirmed the Chancellor’s plans to make further substantial cuts in the next Parliament. Around £4bn will likely have to come out of the budget for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Julian Gravatt thinks the unthinkable about what this means for HE, research, science and skills.

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Julian Gravatt

Wonkhe Ltdhttp://wonkhe.com

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Perhaps it is because liberalism is an ultimately optimistic philosophy that explains why Liberal Democrats were so up beat at their annual conference this week. Despite dire poll ratings the conference bar was full of cheery activists and senior MPs determined to cling on to their seats. As the Liberal Democrats wrap up this year’s party conference season, Sam Cannicott looks at the mood of the party and their ongoing difficulties with fees and higher education.

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When robustly challenged about HE and immigration policy this week, James Brokenshire MP, Minister of State for Immigration made clear that, despite growing calls for policy change, he was ruling out excluding international students from the net migration figures. But are there signs that this might change after the election? Alistair Jarvis takes a look from Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

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Following a disastrous result at the European and Council elections, it seems that the Lib Dems are still haunted by the 2010 decision to raise tuition fees. With Nick Clegg facing challenges to his leadership and with a General Election now less than a year away, Dewi Knight takes a look at the state of the Lib Dems and their fractious relationship with higher education policy.